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Commission and Comfort

“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to themthe children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” Joshua 1:1-17.

Has anyone ever told you, “I’ve got your back?” Perhaps it was a parent, a player on your baseball team, or a private in the military. On a recent trip to the Holy Land I saw a T-shirt hanging from a shop in the Old City of Jerusalem that read, “Don’t worry America, Israel’s got your back.” It made me chuckle knowing that, in fact, the United States has got Israel’s back. Suddenly it occurred to me that no human or army, past or present, possesses enough strength to deliver Israel from her enemies. God alone watches Israel’s back.

The phrase, “I’ve got your back,” which probably originated with pilots in World War II, has been popping up a lot lately from movies on YouTube to sweat shirts made by military wives. If you Google the phrase, you’ll discover it denotes a sense of protectiveness. It’s someone’s way of saying, “Go ahead, I’ll watch out for you.” A good definition for the term might be: An expression that assures someone that you are watching out for them. A promise made by someone assuring that you are protected from what’s behind while you’re busy looking ahead.

Although the Promised Land was God’s gift to Israel, they would be victorious only through vigorous battle. God gave them title to the territory, but in order to possess it, they must march upon every part of it. Thankfully, with God’s divine commissions come His great comforts. God gave Joshua a command and a promise: lifetime victory over his enemies based on His unfailing presence. Joshua knew he could march forward because God truly had his back! Have you been given marching orders and are simply waiting to conquer the land? Be of good courage; just like the children of Israel, God has your back. Take the first step of faith and see all He has for you!